The recent past has seen the use of lasers in a growing number of applications including manufacturing, medical and communications. A number of medical and dental applications have become routine, wherein there exists a need to provide an apparatus which provides ease of use and durability so that in such applications, laser devices can be employed in office settings rather than in surgical environments.
Previously, apparatus have been disclosed which employ smaller dimensioned lase cavities. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,664,550 teaches a compact laser apparatus employing a neodymium phosphate glass impulse laser in a compact laser resonator having a liquid cooled laser body. However, the disposition of the laser resonator rod within a glass tube having a reflective coating disposed on the interior walls provides inefficient laser component packaging, complex assembly and inhibited coolant flow. Moreover, this laser apparatus does not optimize the portion of the laser rod that is being resonated.